Originally posted by: Skoorb
I guess that's decatur, GA? God people in the south have no imagination for names of places. There is like 8 names that all the states in the south use for street names and cities and what not.
We like to keep it simple....we've got enough to think about what with keeping our family trees straight taking the rampant cousin-marrying into consideration.
Here's some background on where the name came from, if you're interested.
Who Was Stephen Decatur?
The City of Decatur was founded in 1823. DeKalb County had been formed a year earlier from parts of Henry, Fayette, and Gwinnett Counties. DeKalb County's five commissioners, appointed by the Georgia General Assembly, were charged to select a public site for a courthouse and a jail, and to purchase one Lane Lot (202 ? acres) to establish a town to serve as a County Site (now often referred to as the County Seat).
In July, 1823, these commissioners chose Land Lot 246 of the 15th District. They named the new town Decatur and ordered that all public business be held and done at Decatur after the first Tuesday in September, 1823. An official legislative act incorporated Decatur on December 10, 1823.
Decatur was named in honor of Stephen Decatur, arguably the most popular American hero of that time. Stephen Decatur had been born in Maryland in 1779, was raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and at the age of 19 had joined the newly formed U.S. Navy.
Stephen Decatur rose rapidly in rank in the new Navy. He led some daring raids in the Wars against the Barbary pirates along the coast of Africa, and returned home a hero in 1805. Stephen Decatur remained in the Navy and rose to command several ships during the troubles with Great Britain which led to the War of 1812. He commanded the United States and defeated one of Great Britain's finest ships, The Macedonian.
Following the War of 1812 Stephen Decatur returned to the Mediterranean as Commander of a squadron which defeated the Barbary pirates a second time. He returned to the United States again in triumph. Shortly thereafter in a speech in Norfolk, Virginia, he spoke his famous line: Our Country In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be right; but our country right or wrong.
Commodore Stephen Decatur returned to Washington, D.C. and became a Navy Commissioner. He was highly respected. He was killed tragically in a duel on March 22, 1820, and his death was mourned throughout the country.
Three years later, in 1823, Decatur was named in his honor.
This information assembled by Walt Drake from The Story of Decatur, 1823-1899 by Caroline McKinney Clarke, and The History of DeKalb County, Georgia, 1822-1900 by Vivian Price. For more information or to schedule a program on Stephen Decatur, call the DeKalb Historical Society 404-373-1088.
Other Decaturs named for Stephen Decatur
Cities
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur, Arkansas
Decatur, Georgia
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur, Indiana
Decatur, Michigan
Decatur, Mississippi
Decatur, Nebraska
Decatur, Tennessee
Decatur, Texas
Decaturville, Tennessee
Counties
Decatur County, Tennessee
Decatur County, Georgia
Decatur County, Indiana
Decatur County, Iowa
Decatur County, Kansas
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